The SUV market in India is tearing apart, with its leading contenders being Tata Safari, Mahindra XUV700, Mahindra Scorpio-N, and MG Hector Plus. These vehicles are for family usage, adventure, a mix of performance and comfort, and cutting-edge technology. Here’s a detailed comparison between each model to help you decide which one is best suited for you.
Related: Renault Kiger vs Mahindra XUV 3XO: What’s the Most Value-for-Money Variant in Rs 10-12 Lakh Range?
Design and Styling
Tata Safari: The Tata Safari flaunts the signature SUV design and typifies bold and intimidating road presence. The muscular stance, chrome detailing, and signature tri-arrow grille of this vehicle immediately single out the vehicle from the rest. The Safari still reiterates the rugged heart of the original safari but comes with a more modern and premium look in this 2023 avatar.
Mahindra XUV700: It is a head-turner with a futuristic design. The C-shaped DRLs, bold grille, and strong character lines give it a very premium look. Compared to the Safari and Scorpio-N, it has a more urban appeal.
Mahindra Scorpio-N: The Scorpio-N retains the old-school rugged look of the Scorpios but with new-age styling. Its tall and boxy stance reinforces its off-road capabilities. The XUV700, on the other hand, looks more premium.
MG Hector Plus: To start with, MG Hector Plus has had a concentric focus on luxury and modern styling. Its sleek body design, huge chrome grille, and complete LED lighting give it a sophisticated look. It is slightly less aggressive and yet delivers a very polished, urban feel.
Inside and Comfort
Tata Safari: The Safari sports a touch of elegance on the inside with soft-touch materials, ash wood inserts, and a leather upholstery in Oyster White. It accommodates 6 and 7 passengers in a spacious cabin. The panoramic sunroof and the 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system add to the experience of the owner of this premium car.
Mahindra XUV700: One reads it out extremely well. Of course, the tech-filled interior is what makes the XUV700 stand out. The dual 10.25-inch displays, which make for the infotainment and digital instrument cluster, are truly spotlight-worthy. Leather upholstery along with a large sunroof and smart air purifier make the cabin pretty lavishly designed. XUV700 will be available in both 5- and 7-seater configurations.
Mahindra Scorpio-N: Is it rugged in here, or is it out? The Scorpio-N retains the ruggedness with an interior that is far more practical. It’s more utilitarian than the other members but focused on being rugged. However, it still comes with a large touchscreen, a sunroof, and what can be described as decent cabin space. Less premium but decidedly functional.
MG Hector Plus comfort attributes include well-padded seats, a large cabin, and a panoramic sunroof. The interior quality is upper class, owing to the features that include a 10.4-inch portrait-style touchscreen display, soft-touch materials, and connected car tech. It will come in two options- 6 seater and 7 seater.
Performance and Engine Options
Tata Safari: The new version of this car is available with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, which churns out 168 bhp and 350 Nm of torque. The six-speed manual and automatic transmissions are also available. The vehicle does not seem off-road-centric like the sibling, Scorpio-N. It would still do pretty well on highways.
Mahindra XUV700: The XUV700 is available with both petrol and diesel engines. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine puts out 197 bhp while the 2.2-litre diesel has two tunes: 153 bhp, and 182 bhp. It presents awesome highway performance and advanced driving dynamics. You also have AWD in the higher variants.
Mahindra Scorpio-N: The Scorpio-N comes with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine at 200 bhp and a 2.2-litre diesel engine at 173 bhp. It is rated the best off-road car, especially now as it has sturdier 4×4 variants if such capabilities are essential to you.
MG Hector Plus: Available with petrol and diesel engine options, the MG Hector Plus is a sister model to the standard Hector, though it comes with a more expansive presence. The former is a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit making 141 bhp, and the latter is the 2.0-litre diesel that generates 168 bhp. It is so much about cruising smoothly and being comfortable rather than achieving aggressive performance or off-roading.
Technology and Features
Tata Safari: The Safari features include an 8.8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a connected car technology, iRA; it also comes with a 9-speaker JBL sound system and a panoramic sunroof. It does feature terrain response modes, though, so one can do mild off-roading.
Mahindra XUV 700: Leader of the pack As It loads on features that make it marvellous be it an AdrenoX infotainment system, AI-based voice commands, a 12-speaker Sony audio system, panoramic sunroof and features like ADAS – advanced driver assistance systems for adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist.
The Mahindra Scorpio-N is much less tech-intensive but still throws in the necessary punches with a well-sized eight-inch touchscreen, connected car tech, and even a sunroof for some added interactivity-its reverse camera is standard, to go along with obvious omissions like a few luxury comfort items due to being built more with practicality and off-road adventure in mind.
MG Hector Plus The MG Hector Plus is full of so many features, such as a large 10.4-inch display touchscreen, connected car tech, voice commands, and a 360-degree camera. With i-SMART, it claims that its software will have over-the-air updates. Thus, it’s not only tech-savvy but also up-gradation-ready.
Ride Quality and Handling
Tata Safari: This safari is a comfortable drive, with better suspension tuning, especially on highways, for both urban and highway driving. However, it is not as agile as the XUV700 and composed to ride over the rough stuff, and it doesn’t offer the same off-road capabilities as you get in Scorpio-N.
The Mahindra XUV 700 ride quality is top-notch, especially on highways, for well-balanced suspension. Comfort and dynamics are well taken care of, making it very car-like in handling, great for long journeys as well as daily commutes.
On the off-road, of course, the Scorpio-N excels with a good ground-clearance level and body-on-frame construction, along with a sturdy 4×4 drivetrain. On highways and stretches over urban centres, though, it looks less refined than either the XUV700 or the Safari.
MG Hector Plus: Hecto Plus is designed for comfort. It provides a smooth ride in the city as well as on highways, and it is not designed for off-roading; however, for families, it is the best because it provides a relaxed and peaceful ride.
Safety Features
Tata Safari: Tata Safari has six airbags. ABS with EBD, ESP, hill-hold control, hill-descent control, and rearview camera. Its build quality adds an extra layer of safety.
Mahindra XUV700: ADAS features like emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot detection, plus standard features airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP. Scorpio-N: Scorpio-N is strong on safety but offers multiple airbags, ABS, ESP, and roll-over mitigation. It seems to miss the momentum compared to the more advanced safety tech of the XUV700.
Read Also: